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. . N o c.n N . . .. . . . . . . The water saved will represent a part of California's entitlement from the Colorado River, and may be used by agencies sharing in that entitlement. However, until the water saved is required by those users, it can be used to supplement or replace water from storage that will be released to Mexico and not counted as part of scheduled Treaty deliveries. The interim deficit to the system will result from bypassing all Wellton-Mohawk drainage flows, amounting to approximately 220,000 acre-feet annually. That deficit will be negated in phases with the implementation of measures that represent the permanent features of the Project Plan. Improved irrigation efficiencies and the reduced acreage to be irrigated on Well ton-Mohawk project lands will reduce the deficit to 175,000 acre-feet annually. TIle operation of the desalting plant will convert 132,000 acre-feet of that quantity to water of acceptable quality for delivery to Mexico, thus reducing the effective loss to the system to 43,000 acre-feet annually in the form of reject flows from the . desalting plant. Thus, after the desalting plant is operational, the 132,000 acre- feet of water saved by lining the Coachella Canal can be used to make up the deficit until such time as California entities exercise their entitlement. There are no other proven sources of additional water in the Lower Colorado River Basin that can be developed so readily and economically as by lining the Coachella Canal. Because the existing canal must be kept continuously in service to supply water to irrigated lands, it is considered impractical to line it. The new lined canal, with a 1,500 cfs capacity, will generally parallel the existing unlined canal, which w11l be abandoned except for certain structures that will be retained and used and except for limited portions that may be lined and watered for fish and wildlife purposes. The first 49 miles of the Coachella Canal and its appurtenant structures are presently operated and maintained. by the Imperial Irrigation District. At the head of this reach, the present capacity of the Coachella Canal is 2,500 cfs, gradually reducing to 1,500 cfs over the 49-mile reach. The Coachella Valley County Water District is entitled to 1,500 cfs of the total and Imperial Irrigation District is entitled to 1,000 cfs, declining proportionately with distance. The Imperial Irrigation District has an obligation to serve about 8,500 acres of non-Federal lands on the East Mesa, lying within the District. About half of that acreage could not be served due to the need to cross Federal lands with water conveyance facilities. Regulations 15